The Art of Starting Over
by Sasha Feirce
Summary: Bella and her Mom have lived in 42 different towns, and have had almost as many diffent names. When the power gets cut off in the Phoenix apartment, and the big map comes out again...Watch out Forks, Washington, here come the Swan Girls. BxJ imprint!
1. Preface

**_Preface. _**

* * *

_Purcellville, Virginia_

_February, 1992_

Plus.

Positive.

Smiley Face.

Pink dot of death.

Pregnant.

All 5 drug store tests were screaming the exact same thing at me.

_You are a floozy and God hates you for having premarital sex._

What am I going to do? What can possibly fix this? Mother is going to kill me. No, that's an understatement. She is going to cut the baby out, and then kill me. And then resurrect me and make me face Father. Yes, that sounds almost realistic.

And then Father will do something so dreadful to me that I will want to kill _myself. _

There is only one option, they cannot find out. No one can know the outcome of that one drunken celebration.

**I have to take myself and this baby and run away. I have to get out of this town. And I will never, ever be able to come back.**

* * *

Danville, Virginia

2:34 P.M. September 13, 1992

"DRUGS! I need drugs!" No one seemed to quite understand how _painful _this experience was turning out to be.

"Ma'am, I'm going to need to you calm down. You can't just barge in here and demand drugs. Is it safe for me to assume you are having contractions?"

Oh this little man does not want to fuck with me. I am in pain, and Renee in pain is not someone you want to mess with.

"I am going to pop this damn baby all over your pristine floors if you don't get me in a hospital room and shove an epidural in my spine. Do not tell me where I can barge into." I have noticed that hormones and managing on my own for seven months has given me unhealthy amounts of confidence.

"All right, all of this yelling is certainly not necessary, how can I help you hun?"

Finally, some kindness in this god forsaken town. An angel in hospital scrubs unknowingly just crash landed into the craziness that is Renee.

"I need an epidural, and maybe a cheeseburger."

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and looked hopefully at the woman in front of me.

"Ok, follow me. My name is Dr. Weber, but you can call me Angela. When did your contractions start?"

And just like that, I knew somehow this woman would make sure mini me and I would turn out just fine.

* * *

8:19 P.M.

"Renee, would you like to hold your daughter?"

I opened my eyes and saw Angela standing over the bed, holding the baby in her arms.

Wordlessly, I reached my arms towards the small bundle, scared shitless. I had absolutely no idea how to do this.

Angela handed her to me and turned to walk out of the room.

"You'll be a wonderful mother, Renee. Don't worry."

I smiled and looked down at the burrito of baby in my arms.

She was beautiful. Sucking her itty bitty thumb and looking up at me with innocent eyes, I knew that in that instant that I would do anything for her.

I gently touched her little brown curls, in awe that wonderful creature had come from me.

"I love you, little Bella. You just landed yourself into the craziest life imaginable."

I giggled.

It didn't matter that I was 17. It didn't matter that I was currently living out of my car, and I only had 400 dollars to my name. It was okay that I was alone; that there were no teary eyed parents watching from the hall and no husband looking down proudly. We would be okay. I had this beautiful baby girl in my arms and that was more than enough.

She giggled for the first time, but it certainly would not be the last.

* * *

Those first years were without a doubt the hardest years of my life. The world is not a forgiving place for an 18 year old and her new born baby.

But we got through, we learned.

As Bella learned her first words, a very assertive "NO MOMMA!" constantly being yelled at me, I learned how to patch a car tire with bubble gum.

While little miss took her first steps, I practiced forging new identities for ourselves.

The first time she sung her ABCs I was rushing to get us out of a dingy apartment before the owner caught us skipping out on rent.

When she came home from first grade with a tale of her first crush, I listened to her with one ear and for the cops with the other.

While she stressed through pre-algebra which she had to take at 12 different schools, I stressed through shitty job after shitty job.

Somehow we've made it through 17 long years of being constantly on the run, and we've managed to do it with a smile on our faces.


	2. Chapter 1

"MOMMA!" It was dark. Again.

The tv, where I had been watching re-runs of _The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,_ was off. The lights in the kitchen and living room, off. The sounds of John Mayer coming from our room, silenced. In place of light and Will Smith's voice, I could hear her laughing in our bedroom.

"MOMMA! Come here would you?" I call sarcastically, feeling a slight deja-vu, as this had happened just about five months ago in a different town. In a different state. When we had different names and different hair.

She walks into the living room holding one of her expensive scented candles, where I'm sitting on the old couch in the dark, with a wild smile on her face. I start laughing at the look in her eyes, following our pattern even though I know what she'll say.

"So, momma. It's dark in here, why do you think that is?" I know the reason, she bought us new summer dresses yesterday at the mall, with money put aside for silly things like the electric bill.

"Well, Bella, my darling daughter. Do you like this dress? I like this dress. I like it better than any stupid _lights._" She laughed, and I laughed. We do a lot of laughing when most people would be freaking out, its part of our strange lives.

" I do like your dress, I like the dress you got for me too. Have you been working the overtime hours you said you were working" I'm certain she hasn't, but I take the courtesy and ask. I'm nice that way.

"Do I do anything of the things I say I should be doing sweetie?" She doesn't wait for me to answer; we both know the answer is that she doesn't.

"I've been working on a project, which has not been successful. Hence this darkness problem." She tells me matter-of-factly. I love this woman; she takes everything so completely lighthearted. I have learned this from her, its an amazing skill. I look at her quizzically, wondering about this project. Before I can ask she answers, she always seems to be able to know what I want to know.

"I'm writing a book. It's going pretty well. No, that's a lie, its going downright awful. I am not a writer, Bella dear." She looks at me sheepishly, and of course, I laugh.

I know she's not a writer, neither is she a painter or a yoga instructor or a self-help seminar conductor. She is not a bible study teacher or a chimney sweep, she cannot type more than 27 words per minute, she doesn't even fold sweaters the way Banana Republic claims one should. But she is a wonderful mother.

I know because she has tried every one of those careers, along with many others more or less embarrassing, and she does it all for me.

"Bella? Do you really like this town?" She leans back on her heals, like an excited 5 year old, and I stand up before her.

I stand up on my tip toes, leaning towards her, and in the same excited voice I say the same thing I always say.

"It's nothing to call the president about." She grins a real wide smile, and runs back to our room. I can hear her rummaging through one of our duffle bags and then she skips back into the room with the old marked up map.

The map is our whole lives in big folding paper. It's got a sticker on every town we've lived, a total of 42. On the back is every one of our names, only a few repeats. We even have pictures of our favorite identities, like when we were Anastasia and Fantasia descendents of Russian royalty. Or when I went through a black power faze, and I named myself Sasha Fierce and had Momma braid my hair into awful brown cornrows.

I walk to the kitchen and grab two flashlights, and the two of us sit down Indian style on the cheap gray carpet, the big map in the middle.

Life has always been this way for me, me and momma, always on our own.

Every couple of months, we're completely different people. We have a natural knack for escaping bill collectors.

And so we sit, planning our new lives. Because the electricity is out, and soon it'll be the rent. Soon that red slip will come in the mail, and momma will get real nervous while I rush through the house packing everything important. We'll load all those expensive summer dresses and think winter coats that we didn't need into the bronco.

I'll make a new mix CD of old songs and we'll sneak out of our apartment at night time so the land lord doesn't know that we're skipping out without paying the bills. Momma will drive too fast and jerky for the first hour, knowing she's wasting gas by doing that. I'll bite my lip, and we won't talk much. Until we pass that familiar sign, always in different colors and fonts, but saying the same thing.

_Hope you enjoyed your stay! Come again soon!_

And then she'll pull over the car, since its nighttime no one is ever on the back highways, and we'll both hop out the car. She'll take off her shoes, and I will too and then we walk to the middle of the road and lay down. I grab her hand and squeeze it tight.

Momma turns her head and whispers to me, so as not to disturb the calm of the darkness.

"I love you, Bella."

"I love you most, Momma."

We relish in the moment, wondering what the future holds. How this new town will accept us, a 17 year old girl and her 35 year old mother. Both of us a little on the crazy side, a lot on the wild side. Two beautiful, eccentric women, living a very unorthodox life.

After what seems like just minutes, but is actually about an hour, we pick ourselves up and jump back in that old bronco. I put in that new CD full of songs we both can sing by heart, and we put down all the windows. Its 2 am and we're driving again, leaving Phoenix behind, it wasn't anything special anyways.

"What do you think my name should be this time?" My momma looks at me real quick, so as not to drive off the road like we've done too many times before. I shrug and keep singing along, wondering the same thing myself. For the past five months, I have been Courtney Schollian, cheerleader extraordinaire. I had 7 good friends, all cheerleaders, and 5 boys who watched my ass everyday going down the hall in my little skirt.

The blonde dye in my hair was starting to wear out, the brown showing through almost completely. I threw my blue contacts out the window and left my letter jacket on Anna's front porch with a note telling them I was leaving, I loved them, but we'd never see each other again. It didn't hurt so much, after doing it all my life. I would miss them, until I found myself in another social circle at this new school.

"Wanna be ourselves this time? We've never just used our real names, no one will know." I cross my fingers, not knowing for once what she'll say. I've always loved coming up with a new personality for the two of us, a new character for us to be until the bills pile up and momma doesn't like her job anymore.

"I like that. I like that a lot, Ms. Swan." She smiles and turns the music up some more as a favorite song of ours comes on.

"_You and me together, we can do anything." _We sing off tune, practically screaming it out the windows. I laugh just because. Momma smiles and grabs my hand, and without saying anything I understand what she means.

_Watch out Forks, Washington. Here come the Swan Girls._


	3. Chapter 2

**AN: So, I wasn't liking where this story was going previously and I'm completely changing the story line. The preface and first chapter are the same and this chapter and the next have very few differences. The main difference begins in chapter 4 with the introduction of Jacob instead of Edward. Oh, and this will not be All Human; vampires won't be a part of the story until later though. If you're reading this after Thanksgiving 2010 then you won't see the old storyline and just disreguard all of this. Sorry for the confusion, but I really love this idea; way more than my original one. **" _Don't get it twisted, don't get clever. This is the most craziest shit ever." _It's raining, but we have the windows down and the music all the way up. According to our map, we've only been to Washington once before and it was when I was real little.

* * *

I've been thinking about who I want to be this time around, if I use my own name I think I'll use my own look. No dye and no new color contacts. No covering up my tattoo or wearing glittery lip gloss. I don't exactly remember who **I **really am, we're always behind a character.

Its scary, and exhilarating, just like every time. I can't wait, and we don't even have a place to stay yet.

We're still singing loud, practically slaughtering Gwen's song, when I first spot it. The sign that we have seen so many times before in so many different towns.

_Welcome to Forks. Enjoy your stay!_

Just past it momma pulls the car over and we get out, just like we always do, its tradition. We aren't god fearing people, all our stealing guarantees a place in hell, but we always pray before starting over.

Its daytime, and we don't know the traffic patterns of this new place, but we still lay down on the pavement barefoot. Momma grabs my hand, and closes her eyes.

"We're gunna like it here babygirl. It's a good place for us, I feel it." She looks hopeful, no matter how much I know she loves our life I know she wishes she could have provided a normal one for me. It makes her guilty if she thinks about it too much.

"I feel it too, Momma. I love you." She squeezes my hand quickly three times, another tradition.

" I love you most, Bella" We both open our eyes and smile real wide. I get up first, feeling vibrations in the pavement letting me know a cars coming. We stand up and run off the road laughing as a car full of teenagers speeds by cussing and flicking us off.

Momma digs through all our bags and finally finds the old film camera, the one that has captured every moment similar to this one. She sets it up on the hood of the car, and we run to pose in front of the Forks sign. I'm unsure of what face to make, but momma chooses for us.

She flicks the camera off with both fingers and sticks her tongue out goofily, crossing her eyes. And of course, I curl over in laughter and look up at her with a huge smile and tears in my eyes from laughing, just as the camera clicks and flashes.

It flashes twice more, and we switch our positions. The second we have our hands at our chests as if lifting our shirts to flash the camera. The third she's on my back and I'm starting to fall, we don't look like mother and daughter; we look like best friends.

We sober up from our laughing fits and hop back in the car, the music had been blaring the entire time. We drive towards town to find a place to stay, preferably cheap and not dirty. This place is small, smaller than most places we ever go. We like big cities, where we can blend in and we're easily forgotten. I can already tell that we're going to be something incredibly interesting to this little pathetic town.

There isn't much to "town". There's a motel 8 which is incredibly good luck as I think we still have a coupon for a free night, a diner, a sporting goods store, the high school, a Pigley Wigley (which I was sure only still existed in Mississippi) a thrift store that I really have to check out and a post office. Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating but there is basically nothing.

Driving by the diner I see the most _beautiful _car I've ever seen, besides our jacked up Bronco. It's a big red jeep with custom tires and rims. And I immediately know that the owner and I would be great friends. I don't mention it to momma, knowing she'd stop and want to introduce ourselves. But I do turn the music up real loud and put my head out the window, screaming the lyrics so I can get their attention.

" HEY YOU A CRAZY BITCH, BUT YOU FUCK SO GOOOD.." I can't even finish the lyric when two heads pop out either side window, their eyes searching for the nut job screeching Buckcherry. We drive by too fast for me to get a good look, but the one in the driver's side looks _big, _not fat, just freaking big. He's sees me and busts out laughing, pointing in my direction to the other kid. Both of them are so tall their heads stick out the top of the jeep and I can see their black buzz cut heads; there is nothing I love more than a buzz cut.

"Bella, are you already showing off to the local boys? Hmm?"

" Of course momma. You know I like to get a head start." And that I do, I wouldn't call myself a whore, but I like men. A lot. And so does momma, hence myself being alive.

She laughs a little bit, mumbling something at sounds like _what have I created?_ And goes back to singing.

We pull up in front of the Motel 8 and grab two duffle bags out of the back, I hope we find a place soon, motel beds are not forgiving to one's back. I start walking towards the doors and notice momma's still in the car searching for something.

" BELLA! Do you have any clue where the hell I put that free nigh flyer? It must have runway, I swear I left it in the glove box." She's still cussing out the car and I just roll my eyes.

"Momma, on the dash."

"I knew that. I fucking knew that. Thank you dollface." She back kicks the door closed a little too hard, the Bronco is a senior citizen and should be treated with respect.

We get a room for the week, it might be longer, it depends on how much easily we can get a bank loan to get an apartment. It's not as bad as some places we've stayed. There are two beds, which are like rocks, and a black and white TV on top of a dresser. The duvet covers look like their from the 50s and I saw a palmetto bug under the sink. But, at least we aren't sleeping in the car.

By the time we get something to eat at that little diner, and Renee goes to the local grocery to get pop tarts and a 6 pack of Bud light it's already 10. Renee drinks four, and I drink two; that's the thing about our life, we don't really live by normal social standards. I toss my jeans on the floor and crawl under my retro style blankets. Renee turns the light and the I love Lucy reruns off, and changes into soffee shorts.

"Are you going to school tomorrow, Bella?"

"Yeah, I think I will. I might as well, school only started two weeks ago so it'll be easy to fit right in." I'm a pro at fitting in. I just don't know who I should be, who this town is in desperate need of, yet.

"If you're sure. I might get a job at the pre-school we saw. You think I could handle a bunch of bratty ass 4 year olds?" She laughs at her own joke, the couple of beers making us both a little tipsy.

"I know you can. You survived me, right?"

" You were different. You were never a kid, you were always my best friend."

I smile at this easy confession. "Best friends forever. You think this town can handle us?"

"Honestly? I think for once we're going to be the ones trying to handle someplace."

I don't know what to say to that. I think it's the beer talking. But it still gets me wondering what tomorrow will hold. I wonder if they have a lot of jocks, or if everyone is smart like when I lived in Arlington.

I think I know who I want to be this time.

_This time I'm going to be crazy._


	4. Chapter 3

**AN: Hopefully you read the note in the last chapter, but if you didn't; I'm completely changing this story. It will not be all human and Bella will be meeting Jacob before meeting any of the Cullens. Sorry if you were liking the old storyline but I like this one much more.**

**

* * *

**"Blue or purple?" I held up tube tops, both of them equally non school appropriate.

"Hmmm. Blue, and wear that blue studded belt we got in Montana." Renee was still laying in her hotel bed, that lucky bitch didn't have a job yet and got to lay in bed all day.

"Alright, which bag would I be most likely to find that in?"

"I don't know baby. It's only seven in the morning. I haven't even had a coke yet; don't go askin' me all these questions." She threw herself back on the pillows and dramatically covered her eyes.

"Ok, I'm gonna go look in the car. Want me to get you anything from the breakfast buffet well I'm in the lobby?" I asked, even if I knew the answer.

"A diet coke. Make it two, I have a headache." She mumbled in her pillow, barely coherent.

I walked out of the room in my footie pajamas, yes I wear footie pajamas. I have about 30 pairs of them; I love comfy clothes almost as much as I love tight jeans and designer stilettos.

I was praying no one would see me almost as hard as I was wanting to see someone's reaction to my attire. I made it through the lobby without any sideways looks from the locals, but in the parking lot my luck ran out.

The same big red jeep drove past, and this time the driver sped past and I could hear a few whistles coming from the back seat. Again, I didn't get good looks at them, but this time there were five heads sticking out of the top and all of them looked like giants.

They drove past, and I continued my trek across the parking lot. Finding the car and popping the trunk I was dumbfounded.

We have an unhealthy amount of bags. Every single one is a different color, a different fabric, from a different part of our history. And we are probably the least organized folks in America. This is not a good combination when I need to find a belt and do my make up, before school starts in 47 minutes.

After searching through mostly all of our shit, no joke; its all useless shit, I finally found it.

The fake Prada duffle filled to the brim with antique rodeo belts. Renee found them at an estate sale in Montana or something. Don't ask me. Regardless, I had my belt and I was back on my way to the warmth of the hotel lobby.

Luckily the buffet was set up early, and I scored Renee some Diet coke to feed her addiction and myself a big cup of black coffee.

Walking back up the stairs to our room I could hear Renee's off-key singing voice. Not a pretty sound. Turned out to be her newest favorite musician, Michael Jackson. She used to hate him with a passion, refused to even listen to Thriller. After his death its like she's discovered Christ, she constantly is playing his music. Its great and all, but It gets only after listening to Thiller: 25th Anniversary Edition CD for 6 hours.

I took a deep breath, mentally preparing myself for an onslaught of Renee's bad Jackson impression. Upon opening the door I again realized why I love this woman more than anything.

Standing on the bed, wearing just a zebra print bra and a pair of men's boxers that say "that's what she said." on the ass, was Renee. In all her mostly naked glory.

"THE WAY YOU MAKE ME FEEEL." She was facing away from the door and I quietly stepped in, shutting the door silently.

I unzipped my footies and jumped on the bed wearing a matching outfit to Rennee.

"YOU REALLY TURNIN' ME ON!" I belted out the chorus along with Renee, laughing and feeling at home.

"YOU KNOCK ME OFF OF MY FEET!" At that moment she turned and pushed me down on the bed, hard. I collapsed in gasping laughter, grabbing her arm and pulling her down with me.

"Bella-." She was laughing and could barely get her words out. "You got me my coke right?"

It was so like her, for soda to be her only worry in the world.

I stood up from the bed and walked towards the bathroom, exaggeratingly swinging my hips.

"Get your own soda, cokewhore." And I closed the door, anticipating extreme retaliation.

"BELLLAAAA! Don't do this to me! Where is my DIET?" While she pounded on the door, I again was laughing. My days are 87 percent laughing.

"I gotta get ready Mama. School starts in half an hour. Your drug's on the dresser." I could hear her sigh of relief as she chugged a whole can of caffeine and I turned back to the counter to fix myself up for the day.

I had washed my hair excessively last night, and because of it the natural brown was back with just a few blonde highlights still in. I look much better as a brunette.

The long waves fell to the middle of my back, bangs seeming to perfectly swoop to the left side of my forhead. Today would be a good day, thanks to the hair gods.

With a swipe of purple glitter on my top eyelids and a bit of mascara, I grabbed my chapstick and left the bathroom.

I stopped by our still unpacked bags and grabbed a pair of dark bootcut jeans and picked up the blue tube top Renee had recommended earlier.

After dancing around for a minute trying to get the jeans on, and looping the rhinestone covered leather around my hips, I threw the shirt over my head and turned towards the mirror on the bathroom door.

A few quick adjustments, and..

"Damn, Yous a sexy bitch." Renee stood beside me and playfully appraised me up and down.

I pulled up the shirt so a sliver of my flat stomach showed, and the top of my tattoo showed on my hip bone. The shirt was tight, and I won't lie, a little skanky.

Turning around I remembered why these are my favorite jeans. A year ago, during our stay in Ocean City, Maryland, I worked my way into H2O by letting the bouncer sign my ass.

In metallic sharpie on the left side of my ass was written "Perfect 10" in a manly scrawl. Signed, complete with phone number. What a night that turned out to be.

And looking at myself in the mirror, I am quite a perfect 10. Call me conceited, but Renee raised me well and I know how to rock what I've got. I look almost exactly like Renee, just a few inches taller and I've got a little more junk in the trunk. She's 5'3" while I'm still pretty short at 5'5" and we're both about 130 with curves in all the right places.

Renee shoved my phone in my hand and 20 bucks in my pocket.

Get outta here, you little heartbreaker. Forks is waiting."

"Alright. I'm gone. Wish me luck."

" Knock 'em dead."

"Always have, always will." And with that I walked down the stairs of that Motel 8. With great hair and killer jeans, my feet confidently placed in worn motorcycle boots, I walked towards the bronco.

_Ready to face anything._


	5. Chapter 4

**AN: This chapter is not a repeat; I'm completely changing the plot development. The main differences start in this chapter, but 2 and 3 also have minor differences. The story is no longer All Human, but will maintain cannon with the exception of Bella and Edward. Werewolves in this chapter!**

**

* * *

**

"_Wish had qualities like, sympathy, fidelity, sobriety, sincerity, humility; instead I got, lunacy"_

Singing, I grabbed Renee's pack of Marlboro Lights off the dash and stuffed 3 in my jacket pocket along with a lighter. It's a nasty habit, I know, but first day nerves always call for a smoke.

And there is was. La Push Triba School. Doesn't look like much, especially compared to Phoenix. There was apparently a larger high school closer to town, but if I'm in a small town I might as well get the full effect.

I parked right in front of the school, taking one of the two last visible spots in the lot.

The late bell rang in 10 minutes, according to their website, so I decided to turn the music up and chill for just a few minutes.

Lighting up in front of the very visible Admin building didn't sound like a good idea, but fuck it, I wanted to rebel this time.

"_America got a thing for this gangsta shit…"_

I took a long drag, getting into the song. One of the better on this particular CD. Closing my eyes, I blew a big cloud to the left, relaxing before I had to go sweet talk some secretary as to why I didn't send paper work in advance to my move.

"_I don't care who you run with or where you from, nigga fuck you."_

Oh, how I love fifty cent. We've lived in and around Detroit a few different times and I've learned to love the rap legends because of it.

I only had a few minutes left now so I figured I'd better get a move on towards the school. I turned off the Bronco and stubbed out my cig; opening the door I came face to face with the reason I knew I was going to love this town.

The big red Jeep Wrangler.

Filled up with giant Indians.

And I know that sounds like I'm loosing my mind, but literally, the car was filled with 5 boys, men really, who were obviously of native American decent. Now let me tell you something about myself, I love boys of every shape and color; but nothing gets to me like a tanned up Indian. I had to stop staring before one of them noticed me, but damn it, I wanted them to notice me.

I took a deep breath, shook my hair, and slammed my car door; effectively getting each and everyone of them to jerk their heads my way.

Their slackjaw expressions gave me exactly the confidence boost I was needing to introduce myself to the locals. I leaned into the passenger widow, right up close to the skinniest one in the bunch and tried to pull out my sexiest voice.

"I'm Bella Swan, I just moved here; pleasure to meet you."

I put my hand out to shake the skinny ones, really he was still huge but compared to his friends he was nothing, and it looked like he was on cloud nine.

"Uh.. Ye-yeah, sure is a pleasure to uh, meet you. I'm… shit man, I'm Seth."

Exactly the reaction I was hoping for; I looked up to the guy in the passenger seat and when his eyes met mine it felt like all those corny love movies wrapped into one. I couldn't look away, and I'd be damned if it looked like he couldn't either.

I knew the driver had to be the most good looking in the bunch; and I hadn't even seen the rest yet. He had longer hair, but still a buzz cut look; and these dark brown eyes that could rival mine in their depth. I continued scanning down his face, past the strong nose and prominent cheek bones to the full lips pulled up in a goofy grin.

One of the three guys in the back cleared their throats and ruined the moment, and I turned my head quickly; knowing I wouldn't be able to look away if I kept staring at the man in front of me.

"Don't mind Seth; he doesn't have much experience with girls like you. Neither does Jacob, boy can't even keep his mouth closed. I'm Pa-"

The driver, Jacob I assumed, snapped out of his daze when he heard his friend talking about him and glared towards the back.

"Shut it Paul." Both Seth and Jacob snapped at the same time. I smirked at the boy's obvious embarrassment on their friends account; this Paul and I would certainly get along well.

I coughed a little to get the attention back on me and pulled out my best smile towards Jacob.

"Well you boys better get to class; see you later Jacob." I saw his mouth fall open and I winked in his direction; turning on my heel and exaggerating my hip sways towards the office building.

Just before I opened the door I heard the car erupt in laugher, all at Jacob's expense it sounded like.

"Aww Jakey's got hisself a little crush on new girl!"

"Damn Jake, catch a look at that ass-"

I heard a growl and a very assertive "Don't talk about her that way!"

So Jakey's got a protective side, I like it.

Now, back to lost new girl look. Its something I know how to do amazingly well, admin always look out for the new girl.

"Excuse me? I'm uhhh… I'm new here?" Stuttering? Check. Confused look? Double check. And… Cue, Blush.

There was only one secretary, and she looked like the kind of woman who watched Grey's Anatomy with her cats; my job kept getting easier.

"Oh honey, how can I help you?" She was already buying it. Perfect.

"Yes, umm I'm new? My mom and I moved here sort of spontaneously, so I guess I need classes and such? I don't know how this works…" I tried to look very lost and innocent, although I've never really felt either thing I can act both of them out pretty well.

"Uh okay. Yes, yes of course. What's your name sweetie?"

Ahh hook, line, and sinker. Secretaries are always the easiest target.

"I'm Bella. Bella Swan. My mother and I have had a tough past few weeks so I didn't send paper work or anything; is that a huge problem?"

Future con artists of America, tune in. Mentioning a mother and daughter who've gone through trouble will get you anything you need.

I really didn't want to bring out tears this early in the game, I really thought I had this one in the bag.

"No, not a problem sweetie. We're a small little school so it should be easy to schedule you right in. Take a seat right over here and we can talk about what classes you want to take…"

It really gets easier every time. If I didn't benefit from it so much, I'd really worry about how lenient America's schools are on paper work. After a little more stuttering and a long awkward blush when Mrs. Cope asked about where I'd come from, I was officially enrolled in a full schedule at Forks High School. I decided to take my study hall first thing in the morning; early mornings are not for me. After my late arrival to school I had US history, which I took as a sophomore in Delaware, followed by intro to French and then a break for lunch. After lunch I had Biology, really this curriculum is behind the times I took these classes as freshman during our stay in Virginia, then Calculus and finally Literature. Fairly class load easy compared to the nerd institutions of the east coast.

Due to my luck at the early morning study hall I had about another 15 minutes until my first class. I decided to go back out to my Bronco and see if I had any liquid courage stashed in the back; I was still sky high from my encounter with the guys this morning but I could use some power in my blood.

Disappointingly, the Jeep was empty now but it still made me chuckle thinking of the oh so gorgeous bunch on guys who were inside it just a few minutes ago.

And Jacob especially; something about him made me want to do things I've never wanted to do with a man before. Not just sexually, although I would not be against that in any way, but girly shit. I wanted to go on dates and hold hands and, gag me, I wanted to do things that couples do. I never, ever, have wanted to be in a relationship before. I haven't even had a conversation with him and this guy had me wrapped around his finger.

Maybe, just maybe, I didn't mind being wrapped around that finger one bit.

* * *

**AN: I smell an imprint...**


End file.
